Cocaine addiction is extremely damaging to the brain and body. Even if a user tries crack or cocaine once, significant damage can be done. As a stimulant, cocaine speeds up activity in the central nervous system only minutes after it is ingested. Even though this heightened activity can make individuals feel alert, confident, and energetic, the rate of physical exertion used when individuals consume cocaine can cause a number of adverse side effects.
How Cocaine Addiction Affects the Brain and Body
Abusing cocaine can wreak havoc on almost every organ in the body, but research shows that the substance can especially damage the following organs:
- Heart: Researchers in Australia described cocaine as the perfect “heart attack drug.” Cocaine’s effects on the heart are so potent that even a healthy first-time cocaine user can have a heart attack. Even though cocaine makes the heart pump faster, the substance also narrows the blood vessels, reducing the amount of oxygen traveling to the heart. This forces the heart to work harder. In an article for Canada’s Vice Magazine, writer JS Rafaeli said that using cocaine is “like putting your foot on the accelerator while pinching the fuel line.” Chronic cocaine abuse can lead to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, or hardening of the arteries, which is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States.
- Nose: When individuals snort cocaine, blood vessels in the nose shrink and then widen, which causes constant red, runny, stuffed-up noses. When used repeatedly, the blood vessels in the nose become permanently damaged, diminishing an individual’s ability to smell. Snorting cocaine can cause a loss of blood supply to the septum and eventually cause the bridge of the nose to collapse.
- Lungs: Smoking crack can cause “crack lung,” a potentially fatal condition characterized by severe chest pains, high body temperature, and trouble breathing. Cocaine use can also cause individuals to cough up blood. Prolonged cocaine addiction can also increase an individual’s risk for respiratory infections and a collapsed lung.
- Immune system: According to a groundbreaking study, cocaine compromises a protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6), which helps your immune system fight off infections. Because of their compromised immune system, individuals with an addiction to cocaine also have an increased risk of developing hepatitis or HIV as a result of sharing needles to inject the drug into their veins.
How Cocaine Addiction Affects Pregnant Women, and Children
Women who may be pregnant and use cocaine risk a variety of different health challenges, including:
- Migraines
- Seizures
- Premature birth
- High blood pressure
- Miscarriage
- Dangerous or challenging labor/delivery
- Harm to the developing fetus
Babies whose mothers used cocaine during their development often:
- Are premature
- Are underweight
- Have smaller head sizes than children from non-addicted mothers
- Have reduced height compared to their peers
- Have higher risk for behavior problems
- May have difficulty with attention or memory
- May have difficulty with language and long-term planning
How Cocaine Addiction Affects Mental Health
Cocaine can also have a significant impact on an individual’s mental health, both while they use the drug and afterward. Cocaine use can lead to a variety of different mental health challenges, particularly if an individual already has a predisposition to mental health complications. For example, cocaine use can trigger mental health concerns including:
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Self-centered thinking
- Unease, displeasure, or negative outlook (also called dysphoria)
- Disordered eating, including anorexia
- Deluded thinking
- Hallucinations
- Inability to feel pleasure (also called anhedonia)
- Depression
Researchers also believe that individuals who use crack cocaine may experience additional mental health complications due to the potency of the drug. These challenges could include:
- Increased risk of anxiety
- Higher levels of paranoia
- Increased risk of psychotic behavior (including negativity, emotional detachment, lack of personal responsibility, or eccentric and unusual behavior)
- Higher likelihood of aggressive or violent behavior
A major European research study found that cocaine users frequently struggled with co-occurring mental health disorders, including conditions like antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In a study of cocaine and crack users across different cities in Europe, the researchers found that individuals were more likely to experience mental health complications if they used heavy amounts of either drug on a regular basis, had poor physical and mental health, and had difficult social circumstances, such as being unemployed or living in poverty.
Thankfully, receiving professional treatment for cocaine addiction can help lessen, prevent, and potentially reverse some of cocaine’s adverse health effects.
Get Cocaine Addiction Treatment in MA
At Meta Addiction Treatment, we provide the highest-quality addiction and mental health treatment services to clients throughout the greater Boston area. From Master's-level clinicians to evidence-based therapies, our approach helps clients develop the skills they need for long-term recovery.
If you or a loved one needs help with a cocaine addiction, call us today at 844-909-2560, or email us at info@metaaddictiontreatment.com. You can also visit any one of our three locations, which are open 24/7:
- Cocaine addiction treatment in Marlborough, MA
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